Randy Fink spent much of the 2010s in Atlanta, at a time when money abundantly flowed to finance new office buildings, warehouses and mixed-use districts throughout the region.
He’s now returning to Atlanta to lead a commercial real estate firm’s local operations after those red-hot days were snuffed out by the COVID-19 pandemic and interest rate shock. As the new Atlanta market leader for Colliers, Fink said there’s plenty of opportunity out there despite market challenges.
“When capital was cheaper, the market was less discriminating,” Fink told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a statement, describing pre-pandemic times.
“The challenge and the opportunity are connected: the market is less forgiving,” he continued. “Clients do not need more noise. They need data, judgment and advisors who can help them make clear decisions in a more selective environment.”
Colliers announced Monday that Fink is the firm’s managing director and brokerage market leader for Atlanta, effectively immediately. Fink will oversee all brokerage operations, including recruitment, retention and business development for the Atlanta market.
He’s a commercial real estate veteran with more than 25 years of experience, returning to Atlanta after more than two years in Abu Dhabi as dual CEO of Colliers Middle East and North Africa and Asteco Property Management.
He spent 2013 through 2024 as managing director of competing real estate services firm JLL in Atlanta, serving also as chair of JLL’s Investor Services Executive Committee. The relationships he built then will pay dividends in his new role, Fink said.
“This is a large, sophisticated market, but reputation, follow-through and local judgment still matter here,” he said. “That is one of the reasons I wanted to come back home.”
That sentiment was echoed by Stephanie Rodriguez, Colliers’ national director of industrial services and U.S. and executive managing director for Florida and Atlanta.
“Colliers is excited to welcome Randy back to Atlanta, where he has a strong reputation within the brokerage industry and throughout the Southeast,” Rodriguez said in a news release.
Commercial real estate has had a choppy few years since the pandemic upended the market and disrupted many of its traditional financing mechanisms.
The office market dried up as companies adjusted to hybrid work schedules, shed space and rethought their workplace needs. The industrial sector went into overdrive to feed the spiking demands of e-commerce and shore up strained supply chains. And the retail market, which was struggling in the 2010s as e-commerce gained steam, saw a bounceback period after pandemic disruptions.
Fink said Atlanta has shown its resilience as a Southeastern anchor, adding that he anticipates the region will continue to draw investment.
He added that Colliers is well-positioned in Atlanta, leveraging its global connectivity, research and capital relationships with local expertise and a boots-on-the-ground approach.
“In a market like Atlanta, data tells you where to look,” he said. “Local judgment tells you what is actually executable.”
At times, Fink said Atlanta has been an “anything works” market, where certain types of buildings can’t be built fast enough. But a more disciplined market that requires precision from brokers and investors is healthier overall, he said.
“This is not a market where you can wait for the cycle to solve every problem,” he said. “You have to know what you own, know what your client needs, and act with discipline.”
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
